Shloka 16

कुशनाभकन्याशतविवाहः — The Marriage of Kuśanābha’s Hundred Daughters

and the Birth of Brahmadatta

Devanagari script

लक्ष्म्या समुदितो ब्राह्म्या ब्रह्मभूतो महातपा:।ब्राह्मेण तपसा युक्तं पुत्रमिच्छामि धार्मिक।।1.33.16।।

Transliteration

lakṣmyā samudito brāhmyā brahmabhūto mahātapāḥ | brāhmeṇa tapasā yuktaṃ putram icchāmi dhārmika ||

Translation

“ਹੇ ਮਹਾਤਪਸਵੀ! ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮ ਤੇਜ ਨਾਲ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ਮਾਨ, ਬ੍ਰਹਮਾ ਸਮਾਨ, ਹੇ ਧਾਰਮਿਕ! ਮੈਂ ਬ੍ਰਾਹਮ ਤਪ ਨਾਲ ਯੁਕਤ ਇੱਕ ਪੁੱਤਰ ਦੀ ਇੱਛਾ ਕਰਦੀ ਹਾਂ।”

Word by Word

• लक्ष्म्या: with splendour/fortune
• लक्ष्म्या: Karana (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करण

• समुदितः: endowed
• समुदितः: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (predicate adj.)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-उद्-इ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘endowed/risen’

• ब्राह्म्या: with brahmic (spiritual)
• ब्राह्म्या: Karana (करण; with लक्ष्म्या)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्राह्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘brahmic/pertaining to Brahman’

• ब्रह्मभूतः: become like Brahman/Brahmā
• ब्रह्मभूतः: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक/क्त)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (ब्रह्मेव भूतः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• महातपाः: one of great austerity
• महातपाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject implied ‘अहम्’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (महत् तपः यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ब्राह्मेण: by brahmic
• ब्राह्मेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्राह्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (contextual), तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘by brahmic’ (qualifying तपसा)

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana (करण/Means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; करण

• युक्तम्: endowed (with)
• युक्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण of ‘पुत्रम्’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘endowed’ (qualifying पुत्रम्)

• पुत्रम्: a son
• पुत्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of ‘इच्छामि’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• इच्छामि: I desire
• इच्छामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• धार्मिक: O righteous one
• धार्मिक: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धार्मिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

Context

Bestowed with the great asceticism and brilliance of a brahmin, you look like Brahma. O righteous one, I desire a son endowed with the ascetic virtues of a brahmin.

Characters & Entities

• Somadā
• Cūlī
• Brahmā (by comparison)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Dharma is framed as valuing spiritual excellence: the desired offspring is not sought for power or pleasure but for brahmanical virtue and disciplined austerity.

What is the narrative situation?

Somadā states her boon-request to the pleased sage Cūlī: she asks for a son possessing brahmanical tapas.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Somadā’s aspirational purity—her wish aligns progeny with spiritual discipline and righteous character.